Two vehicles are put through rigorous tests to see which one will perform better

SINGAPORE (March 20): A vast majority of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and fourby- fours on Singapore’s roads have never left the safety of smooth tarmac or encountered a pothole. That was why I jumped at the chance to put a Jeep Cherokee through its paces on an off-road circuit.

It is not often that these beasts get to taste mud and dirt in Singapore — which, I soon found out, is their natural habitat. The beasts in question were the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk and Jeep Wrangler. Jeep claims to have invented the SUV concept — who was I to argue? Its Wrangler is an iconic vehicle that sparks memories of sun-tanned surf dudes cruising along the West Coast. Not Singapore’s, but California.

The location for the off-road experience was not actually in Singapore but just across the border in Johor Bahru in an area of woodland and bumpy terrain. The journey from Singapore to JB was a perfect opportunity to see the Jeeps perform in an urban environment.

The four-door Wrangler is rugged and imposing on the road, while the Trailhawk is more luxurious and comfortable inside. What I love about the Wrangler is the hard-top roof panelling, which can be taken off manually. You can also opt for a soft top, which you can strip back. As a city dweller, though, the Trailhawk probably wins for its comfort and mod cons. But when it comes to off-road activities, which one would win?

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First up was the simulated river crossing, which was pretty much a dug-out trench filled with water. It was a tricky obstacle when approached from a slope, so I had to be careful not to go too fast. But I still needed a certain amount of speed to power through the water, or the Jeep would get stuck in the mud.

One big difference between the Wrangler and the Cherokee is their turning circles. The Trailhawk’s is much narrower, so you can take corners easier around the circuit; the Wrangler’s is noticeably wider, so you have to make three-point turns to get around some corners. While both vehicles took the river crossing with ease, the size and sturdiness of the Wrangler gave it a slight advantage. In technical terms, the Wrangler has a fording capacity of 760mm of water while the Trailhawk’s is 508mm.

Next up was a series of bumps, showcasing the vehicles’ ability to deal with uneven ground while keeping good traction in their tyres. It also tested the Jeeps’ suspension under harsh conditions while making the ride as comfortable as possible, given the rough terrain.

One of the most exciting exercises of the day was the hair-raising 30-degree hill descent, which is a rare experience for most urban drivers. While driving up the hill, I felt out of my comfort zone as the ground in front was not visible. Once at the top, the Jeep was put in Hill Descent Control, to go down the slope in a slow and steady fashion.

It is a sophisticated braking system that will automatically apply the right amount of pressure on the brakes for the Jeep to smoothly descend any steep hill. For this exercise, the Trailhawk was my favoured vehicle as it gave slightly better visibility when ascending the hill. This is because it has a lower ground clearance of 8.7in compared with the Wrangler’s 10in. But, the Wrangler’s added clearance is beneficial in the majority of offroad experiences.

Last up was the articulation activity, designed to test the Jeeps’ suspension with a series of waterand mud-filled potholes. When one or more wheels were elevated, the Jeeps’ four-by-four system helped the others stay on the ground for longer to keep the vehicle moving. This was where the Wrangler edged ahead, given its higher ground clearance and superior power — 284bhp compared with the Trailhawk’s 174bhp. So, the Wrangler was pretty conclusively the king of the off-road on the day, while the Cherokee Trailhawk ruled the urban landscape.

To be fair, both Jeeps felt more than comfortable in such terrain, never really breaking into a sweat on all obstacles. Soon, Jeep will bring out a new model called the Renegade, which is labelled as a compact SUV. It has already seen healthy orders for Jeep and looks likely to revitalise the brand in Singapore.

JEEP CHEROKEE TRAILHAWK
$175,000 without COE
Engine: 2,360cc, in-line four
Power/torque: 174bhp/229Nm
Fuel consumption: 8.8l/100km
0 to 100kph: 7.6 seconds
Top speed: 191kph

JEEP WRANGLER
UNLIMITED SAHARA
$200,000 without
COE Engine: 3,604cc, V6
Power/torque: 284bhp/347Nm
Fuel consumption: 9.8l/100km
0 to 100kph: 8.9 seconds
Top speed: 180kph

Justin Harper is a freelance journalist with a passion for all things fast

This article appeared in Issue 770 (March 13) of The Edge Singapore.